Position-by-position breakdown of the 2014 Houston Astros

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A healthy Castro can be one of the best catchers in the game. He believes past knee problems are behind him, and as the planned No. 3-4 hitter — depending on who’s pitching — the offense will look different when he’s locked in. In the background lurks a question of whether the Astros might trade or extend him. The Astros will be reserved with Castro in terms of playing time, working in Carlos Corporan behind the dish and DH’ing Castro as well. Corporan reached a career-high in home runs (7) and playing time last season (210 plate appearances). If the 30-year-old back-up can continue to provide a little offense off the bench, the Astros will be pleased. All catchers worked this spring on pitch framing.

First base: Marc Krauss

Krauss, 26, hit a pair of home runs with a .308 average and a .391 on-base percentage this spring training. He’s one half of a platoon, with Jesus Guzman, a right-handed hitter acquired in a trade this offseason. A left-handed bat, Krauss will play presumably every day there’s a right-handed pitcher on the mound. Krauss is also the team’s third catcher. He bought a new catcher’s glove this spring, and his presence allows the team to use Corporan as a pinch-hitter without fear that they’d be left without someone who can catch. At Class AAA Oklahoma City will be top prospect Jon Singleton, a power hitter who has to prove himself after a down year last season that included a suspension for marijuana. The Astros looked for other stopgap first base options this offseason, but Guzman was the lone addition.

Second base: Jose Altuve

Not yet 24 years old, Altuve seems to have embraced a leadership role, even though he says he doesn’t necessarily envision himself as a leader. His stated goal this season is to play 162 games, and he’ll be a table-setter — even as a clean-up hitter. It’s not conventional thinking to bat Altuve there, considering he’s the biggest base-stealing threat in the lineup and listed at 5-6. But having him in front of No. 5 hitter Chris Carter could help get Carter more fastballs. Manager Bo Porter jokes Altuve is “the big guy.” For all his talents, he’s not the best at getting on-base, with a .323 OBP lifetime. That’s a large part of the reason he won’t be the everyday No. 2 hitter for now.

Third base: Matt Dominguez

Dominguez goes about his business quietly, but the chance exists to be a stabilizer — a key piece, if not the most well known one on the club. He’s a longterm extension candidate. The power is there, with 21 home runs last season. But plate discipline a clear area where there’s room for improvement: he struck out 96 times and walked just 30 with a .290 on-base percentage. While the farm system is stocked with catchers, there’s not much upper-level third base help. An injury to Dominguez could be tough to deal with. Marwin Gonzalez, the back-up infielder, can spell Dominguez, although Dominguez played 152 games last season.

Shortstop: Jonathan Villar

Villar has the look and physical capabilities of a player who can be an all-around threat — the tools. But with top prospect Carlos Correa likely to finish this year at Class AA Corpus Christi, if not higher, Villar has to prove himself sooner rather than later if he’s to remain in the Astros’ plans once Correa is ready. Villar is still young, at 23, and he’s entering his first full season in the majors. But there are questions about his maturity, and mental mistakes need to be limited. Part of the reason the team wanted to keep veteran Cesar Izturis, who was released in spring training, was to help guide Villar. Marwin Gonzalez’s strong play took away Izturis’ opportunity, though. Whether Villar can prove to be more than a placeholder for Correa is one of the more fascinating questions of 2014.

Left field: Robbie Grossman

An Astros fan growing up who went to Cy-Fair high school — and a switch-hitter with good plate discipline — Grossman earned his way to the top of the Astros lineup this spring. He’s slated to be in the two-hole, making this season a potential coming-out party for the 24-year-old, who’s entering his first full year in the bigs. He was much better in his second call-up a year ago. He was hitting .198 in the majors at the end of May, but hit .322 the rest of the way once he was back in the majors. He compiled a 14-game hit streak in August. Like Castro and Dominguez, Grossman is an extension candidate. Krauss can spell Grossman, as can newcomer Alex Presley, who can play all three outfield positions.

Center field: Dexter Fowler

Fowler’s desire to play the game for the love of the game, his grit, was questioned publicly by management in his time with the Rockies. The highest paid position player on the Astros making more than $7 million this season, he’ll be the team’s leadoff hitter. He can bolster his reputation with a fine year, and put himself in position for an eventual payday. He can’t become a free agent until after the 2015 season, but he’s arbitration eligible for the last time after this year and he can earn a raise with strong play. Fowler could end up as a significant trade piece for the Astros — or would the team be willing to pay to keep him around longterm? The switch-hitter can do a bit of everything: some power mixed with very good defense and some base stealing ability. A change of scene may be just what Fowler needs, and he has a chance to shine with the Astros. There’s a question of how well he’ll hit now that he’s outside of the Rockies’ Coors Field. He’s reached the 140 games played mark just once in the majors. George Springer, the Astros’ top hitting prospect, is expected to eventually take over in center field. But when Springer finally does make his debut, which should happen this season, it’ll likely come in right field.

Right field: L.J. Hoes and Alex Presley

Along with first base, right field was an area the Astros looked to upgrade this offseason, although no significant moves were made until Thursday, when Alex Presley, a fourth outfielder with the Twins, was claimed off waivers. A left-handed bat with strong minor league numbers, Presley ostensibly has a chance to force a platoon with L.J. Hoes, who’s a right-handed hitter. Eventually, George Springer should see time here, but that may not happen until June, when the super-two cut-off passes. Super-two players are a rare group of players who get an extra year of arbitration eligibility, and therefore, higher pay. Neither Hoes nor Presley are power hitters, but Hoes is a lifetime .302 hitter at Class AAA. He came over from the Orioles in the Bud Norris deal last July. If either Hoes or Presley can make good on their minor league numbers, the Astros should be in good shape until Springer arrives.

Designated hitter: Chris Carter

The strikeout king last season with 212 whiffs, the hope is that Carter can cut down on the misses while still hitting for power. No one in the Astros lineup is a bigger home run threat, and he hit 29 a year ago. At age 27 season, Carter’s not a pup, but there’s still a chance to put it all together. Despite the strikeouts, he does walk often, with a .320 on-base percentage last season — nearly 100 points higher than his average. Carter’s expected to hit fifth in the lineup, with Jose Altuve in front of him. Because Altuve’s a base stealer, that could help Carter see fewer offspeed pitches and more fastballs he can drive. Being a full-time DH could help Carter, too. Last season, Carter split time between first base, left field and DH, but this year he may be able to devote even more energy to his hitting. He’ll still play some first base on occasion, when the DH spot is needed to rest other players, like catcher Jason Castro.

Starting pitcher: Scott Feldman

Scott Feldman isn’t the likeliest of aces, but that’s the role he’ll fill for the Astros. They needed a rotation anchor this offseason and might have overpaid a little bit to get one: $30 million over three years. A ground ball pitcher, Feldman isn’t dominant, but the Astros believe he’s well suited to Minute Maid Park. He’s been in a rebuilding environment before, pitching for the Cubs last season before he was traded to Baltimore. Mark Appel, Mike Foltynewicz and Jarred Cosart figure to be the Astros top pitchers in the longterm, but Feldman represents a reliable piece they were missing.

Starting pitcher: Jarred Cosart

Cosart’s 1.95 ERA doesn’t line up with the 33 strikeouts and 35 walks he had in 60 innings last season. The numbers do speak to a young righthander who has top-of-the-line stuff and maybe got a little bit lucky — and may have an ability to pitch out of jams. Cosart wowed everyone in attendance in a start against the Nats near the end of spring training, when he struck out nine in a perfect five innings. That’s the kind of stuff he has, and with mechanical changes made this spring related to his hand positioning, he has as high a ceiling as any Astros pitcher. In a radio interview, general manager Jeff Luhnow suggested 15 wins were possible for Cosart.

Starting pitcher: Brett Oberholtzer

Oberholtzer, one of two lefthanders in the rotation, had a 2.76 ERA in his brief time in the big leagues last year as a rookie. Like Cosart, the first taste was good — now to see what a full season can bring. He worked on his curveball this spring with pitching coach Brent Strom. His lifetime strikeout rate in the minor leagues, 7.7 per nine innings, and his walk rate, 2.2 per nine, suggest a pitcher who won’t hurt himself and at the same time has strikeout ability, even if he’s not striking out 10 per game often.

Starting pitcher: Lucas Harrell

Harrell’s ERA rose by more than two runs in 2013, to 5.86 from 3.76 the year before. Which pitcher he is this year will be the theme of his 2014, at least in the earlygoing. He had an odd spring, pitching one terrible game that left him with a 7.80 ERA, but he also didn’t allow more than one earned run in any of his other four outings. He’s one of only a few Astros who are out of options, so if he struggles, the Astros will have to risk losing him to another club on waivers or send him to the major league bullpen.

Starting pitcher: Dallas Keuchel

The other lefty in the rotation, Keuchel’s strong opening to the spring won him a chance to start. He hasn’t had a sub-5 ERA in the majors the last two seasons, but the team feels he’s better suited to be a starter than a reliever, at least for now. He was better in the first half last season, with a 4.61 ERA, compared to a 5.91 ERA after the break. The third time through the order is key: opposing hitters batted .305 in their third plate appearance against Keuchel last season, compared to .253 the first time through.

Bullpen: Chad Qualls

Qualls is the pitcher with the most closing experience, although the team doesn’t have a named closer yet. Presumably, Qualls will see some of the highest leverage situations. One of several veteran additions to the bullpen this year, Qualls lived through a rebuilding year with the Marlins in 2013. A member of the 2005 pennant winning Astros, he remembers the good times the team had. He also made mechanical changes last season that more or less rejuvenated his career and dropped his ERA by nearly three runs, to 2.61.

Bullpen: Matt Albers

A long man with the Indians last year, Albers was attracted to Houston not only because he’s from here, but because it represented a chance to move into a late-inning role. A ground ball pitcher — the Astros like those — Albers will be a primary set-up man. He’s played for contending teams, including the Red Sox, and has a know-how that the Astros value too. He allows very few home runs.

Bullpen: Josh Fields

Fields had a fantastic spring training, with six strikeouts and no walks in seven innings. He allowed only one run. With a high-effort delivery, he closed briefly in 2013, and that’s the role he wants ultimately. How much Fields gets a chance there this season is to be determined, but the former first round pick might just be the closer of the future. If he can lower the home runs this season — he allowed eight in 38 innings — he could be one of the team’s best relievers.

Bullpen: Kevin Chapman

Chapman is the lone left-hander in the bullpen following Raul Valdes’ exit from the 25-man roster to make room for Alex Presley. That likely will lead the Astros to lean on him often. He wants to lower his walk total after giving out 36 free passes in 50 2/3 innings at Class AAA Oklahoma City last season, but the strikeout stuff is there. He fanned 61. This is his sophomore season in the majors, and like Fields, Chapman could establish himself as part of the longterm bullpen solution.

Bullpen: Anthony Bass

The Astros had the top pick in the Rule 5 draft last December, but they traded the player they took with the pick to land Bass. He’s been in the majors for parts of the last three seasons, and a 2.45 ERA in spring training him won him a spot on the roster — perhaps at the expense of Josh Zeid. He had a lights-out spring training, with 14 strikeouts and not one walk in 11 innings. The additions of Qualls, Albers and Jesse Crain — who’s rehabbing to start the season — received the most attention, but Bass could be just as significant an addition.

Bullpen: Jerome Williams

Williams wants to be a starter, and more than likely, he’ll end up with that chance at some point this season. He’s been a swingman before, a fact that may have hurt his chances at the rotation out of the gate, because the Astros knew they could put him in the bullpen and he’d be able to handle it. Another offseason addition, Williams wears a pink glove every time he pitches to honor his late mother, who had breast cancer. He went to the postseason in 2003 with the Giants, and he also played in Taiwan.

Bullpen: Brad Peacock

Peacock’s fastball has the radar readings to work in short relief, although, like Williams, Peacock will remain stretched out as a starter at the start of the season. He’s been working on his changeup with pitching coach Brent Strom. The vast majority of Peacock’s career has been spent as a starting pitcher, so of anyone in the bullpen, Peacock might have to go through the biggest adjustment — if he doesn’t quickly end up in the rotation.